The Gardeners of the Forest City and several dedicated volunteers recently spent October 5 and 6 making apple butter at Prairie Barn Winery and Christmas Trees to sell at local St. James businesses and the St. James Tourist Information Center. 

The project is more than just making delicious apple butter, it’s about community.  The money raised will help support beautification projects in St. James and help fund a $1,000 scholarship to a St. James School District student attending college and studying horticulture or related fields. 

The G.F.C. currently plant and maintain 29 containers, two flower beds downtown near city hall, the memorial bed at the St. James Cemetery, the maintenance of the east side of the police department, and a native plant garden at the St. James Tourist Information Center on the walking trail. 

The process of making apple butter starts with coring and cutting the Missouri Jonathon apples and then cooking them over a wood fire in copper kettles. Next, the apples are ground twice in Squeezo machines, which removes the peel. Then, back to the kettles for more stirring and simmering. Sugar and oil of cinnamon are added using the delicious recipe of Beda Dillon. Cooking continues until the apple butter “can stand on a biscuit.” The apple butter is then canned and labeled. 

On Stanley Dillon’s garden show, “The Green Thumber,” aired on Saturday mornings on KTTR, he said, “You can’t find better apple butter than the Gardeners of the Forest City’s around here.”

Members and volunteers shared the work, and a luncheon was provided to feed the hungry crew.  The volunteers are a vital part of making apple butter with the club. A heartfelt thank you to the many dedicated volunteers who have helped in this endeavor, many of whom have helped the club with this project for years, and to Prairie Barn Winery and Christmas Tree Farm for generously hosting and providing such a lovely location.

Get your locally made, delicious apple butter for $7 a pint at the following businesses and locations:  Prairie Barn Winery and Christmas Trees, Huffman’s Garden Center, Dr. Tim’s Pharmacy, Blooms and Barrels (Stanley’s) Garden Center and St. James Tourist Information Center. 

Purchasing this delicious apple butter to enjoy yourself and also give it as a gift helps fund the work of the Gardeners of the Forest City.

The Gardeners of the Forest City have served the St. James community for over 60 years.  Throughout those 60 years, the club has cared for the plaza beds downtown, and G.F.C hopes to continue in that tradition.   The motto of The Gardeners of the Forest City is “Our City’s Beauty-Our Civic Duty."

Those interested in joining or learning more about the Gardeners of the Forest City may contact us through our email account at stjgardenclub@gmail.com or our Facebook page: Gardeners of the Forest City.